Wholesome to Horror: 6 Kids Comics that Need to Go Full-Horror Like Archie
Mike Sprague
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Yesterday we shared an article regarding how Archie Comics has made a big hit out of their horror spin-off series aptly collected under the new imprint Archie Horror. All of us here at Dread Central are big fans of what the powers that be over at Archie Comics are doing in an effort to revamp their line with a horror twist, and so today we thought it might be a good idea to look at some other wholesome comic series and see how well they make the transition from wholesome to horror.
Now let it be known right off the bat here I’m not overly familiar with comic books. In fact, I know next to nothing about them. That said, my interested in the form is growing each and every day so this article is an offshoot of that growing enthusiasm. But still, that may mean that there’s some info on here that may be redundant. Hence why we’re leaving off the obvious Scooby-Doo horror spin-off. Meaning, there may very well be horror offshoots of some of these comics. But today isn’t about overly researching the topic, today is about daydreaming and seeing what we come up with.
All that out of the way, let’s get to it!
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Casper
This is one of the more obvious entries on this list – and that’s why we’re going to go ahead and get it out of the way right off the bat. Casper the Friendly Ghost could easily make the transition to Casper the Killer Ghost and no one would bat an eye. But what if Casper stayed the good guy? What if this new series was Casper helping – get this – his young human self… find the person that killed him/them? That sounds like good old fashion horror times to me and the added mystery makes for some genuine page-turning. Now he just needs a sidekick…
Wendy the Good Witch
Just like the above-mentioned Casper the Friendly Ghost, Wendy the Good Witch is a comic that obviously would make a hell of a transition to the realms of horror. And just like the above mentioned Casper the Friendly Ghost, that’s exactly why we’re going ahead and getting Wendy the Good Witch out of the way right at the top of this topic. But how? Well, Wendy could start as a side character in our new Casper the Killer Ghost spin-off series, before learning that she comes from a Coven of Witches who are all hell-bent on keeping Casper dead as a doornail. But why? Ahhh, mysteries for days.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
One of the reasons that we’re including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles here on this list is because this series is my absolute favorite comic (and movie, and TV series) of all-time. That and the fact that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is practically been begging for a horror spin-off series since the very first day it hit newsstands and comic shops. I mean, just imagine if you were hearing the brand’s name for the first time today, you would 100% think it was ALREADY a horror comic series. Plus, the Shredder could be one of the coolest and most graphically brutal villains comics have ever seen if allowed to run loose through (for lack of a better term) an R-rated comic series.
Garfield
This is one of the sillier entries on this list. But is it? I mean, yes, the thought of the fat lasagna-loving orange and fat kitty being the subject of fear is a bit out there, but what if the horror spin-off turned good old Garfield into a Cujo-style crazy kitty with a love for lasagna… human lasagna that is! Moo-Haha. But seriously, this comic could also take the approach of sad little Jon secretly being a serial killer who only THINKS his pets talk to him – ala the Ryan Reynold’s horror-comedy The Voices. After all, there’s already a series that removes Garfield from the comics making Jon look crazy as all shit. Expand upon that idea.
Calvin & Hobbes
Like the above mention Garfield pitch, this horror spin-off for the eternally lovable Calvin and his pet tiger Hobbes would probably be best suited with a serial killer twist. Here Calvin is one of those evil little hellspawns like Orphan and/or The Omen, but instead of a team of Dobermans and housemaids doing his bidding, Calvin has his pet tiger, Hobbes. And while Hobbes may appear to be merely a stuffed animal to the naked eye, that doesn’t mean that when you’re all alone with Calvin and Hobbes in a dark alley, the stuffed tiger doesn’t become something more. I’d read this spin-off series every day.
Duck Tales
Like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mentioned above, this entry is on this list because I was (and still am to a degree) a massive fan of Duck Tales growing up. Sure the series kind of lost me to adolescence, but that’s why the powers that be should look into a dark horror reboot of the series. Let’s keep the kids reading about Uncle Scrooge and his three color-coordinated nephews for a few years more! Hell, the quack pack already is known for going up against all kinds of monsters, let’s just up the ante and introduce gnarlier monsters such as Cenobites and Pumpkinhead. Hell, yeah! Sing it with me, “Life is like a (blood) hurricane…”
So there you have it. Those are the classic kid’s comic books that we think would make a killer transition from Wholesome to Horror. What comic do YOU think would make the transition? Are there any we missed? Let us know below!
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